Robots have been a part of industry longer than you might think. The patent for the first industrial robot, Unimate, was granted in 1961. While robots were sometimes utilized by larger manufacturers, such as automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), they were rarely an option for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs).

However, times have changed. Robots are now often viewed as essential tools for SMMs, enabling smaller operations to compete with larger players. This is especially the case with the new wave of “collaborative robots.” According to the Robotics Industries Association, a collaborative robot, also known as a “cobot,” is specifically designed to work directly with humans, side by side, within a defined collaborative workspace.

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